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Meeting the challenge of the rising costs of cultural services

Posted on by Heidi Bellamy Posted in Events Archive

This session focused on sharing useful information and innovative approaches to assist CLOA members in local discussions around energy saving measures and decarbonisation programmes/funding, the benefits and challenges plus recommendations for those contemplating similar projects.

Caroline O’Neill, Vice-Chair of CLOA (Head of Arts, Culture and Library Services) Chaired the roundtable and there were contributions from the following CLOA members:

  • Donna Pentelow, Assistant Director of Culture provided a case study on works undertaken at Reading Town Hall, a Grade II listed Victorian building, which include insulation into a challenging concert hall ceiling, window film, draught proofing, boiler controls and specialist LED lighting. Donna also outlined plans to decarbonise the Hexagon Theatre a multi-purpose entertainment venue with the introduction of solar, ground source heat pumps, roof insulation, LED lighting (subject to funding).
  • Fiona Tarn, Head of Libraries shared Camden Council’s Carbon Management Plan and highlighted the Swiss Cottage Library and Art Gallery project, which has benefitted from a £1.4m grant from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) into this Grade II listed building. The presentation also horizon scanned projects Camden are scoping for the next round of PSDS funding, which include a community library and arts space.
  • Claire Murray, Head of Development and Marketing at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast talked about the solar roof panels and recently installed a new Building Management System, which is helping to manage energy consumption.  Claire also heads up Green Arts NI, a collective whose work complements the city’s net-zero carbon roadmap.

Isobel Hunter, CEO of Libraries Connected also joined the session to talk about how libraries are responding and their work on: Libraries and cost of living crisis support; Libraries as Warm Spaces; results of a survey on library budgets for 2023/24 and the impacts of inflation; initial findings of the Green Libraries.

Finally, Ross Burnett, Director – Business Development, Arts Council England covered the potential for energy saving measures to assist in tackling rising costs, as well as climate change, and invited examples to help make the case to DCMS/BEIS/Treasury.